THE CHILD’S DREAM AMONG FLOWERS.
BY MISS COLMAN.
Waving sweetly o’er thy head,
Flowers softly sigh;
Watching o’er thy grassy bed,
Singing lullaby.
“Gently murmuring in thine ear,
Angels from on high,
Resting in these lovely flowers,
Sing thee lullaby.
“Bending o’er thee, darling child.
Kissing thy blue eye,
Singing softly to thy soul,
Sweetest lullaby.”
Thus sang the flowers to the child, as he slept beneath their waving bells; and he heard them, and listened to the lullaby of the angels. The flowers watched him as he listened, and saw how beautiful smiles played over his face, and then, how tear-drops chased each other down his fair cheek, and how he again smiled peacefully; and they grew curious, wishing to know why the child smiled and wept by turns. And they sang to him again:—
“Child, among us lying,
And so softly sleeping,
Time is swiftly flying,
Waken from thy dreaming.
“While thy mouth is smiling,
And thy blue eyes beaming,
While the sun is shining,
Tell us of thy dreaming.”
Then the child awakened; and he told the flowers how angels sat each side of him, and sang to him of his mother and sisters, who lived in heaven, and how happy they were; and how beautiful heaven was, and how he might go there and live; this made him feel very happy. But then the angels told him, with sweet, sad voices, how naughty he was, and how much he must do to be good enough to live in heaven; and his heart sank, and he feared that he never should see his dear mother again. Then he wept;—but soon he felt on his brow other tears, and he looked up, and saw the angels weeping. Then they sang to him again:—
“Weep not, weep not, darling child,
We are ever near thee,
And, ’mid all the ills around,
We will guard and help thee.
“And when thou art very good,
In our arms we’ll take thee,
And, while singing thankful songs,
Up to heaven we’ll bear thee.”
Then the angels told him how he must watch the flowers, and listen to the birds,—and they would teach him to be good; but that he must pray often and heartily, or else they could not stay with him. Then they sang once more about heaven—and how he would go there too; and they kissed him on the forehead, softly and gently, like the touch of a flower. Then the flowers awoke him,—and now he had told them what he had been dreaming.
And the flowers wept too at the lovely dream of the beautiful child; and they touched him with their bells as the angels kissed him, and showered upon him dew-drops, till his golden hair sparkled with the liquid diamonds. Then the child felt strong and hopeful;—and kneeling down among the flowers, he prayed that he might be good and pure, so that the angels would take him soon to his mother.
